


Your Man

by machtaholic (cinderella81)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, M/M, Musicians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-05
Updated: 2014-06-05
Packaged: 2018-02-03 11:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1743443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderella81/pseuds/machtaholic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles is with his mom at a County Fair when he comes across a young teenager performing on stage.  Derek Hale.  Stiles has a couple more encounters with him before finding Derek where he NEVER expected - as a pop star?  One ... very interesting letter later finds Derek on Stiles' front porch and, well, you can guess where I'm going with this.</p>
<p>This is a gift for propertyofwckd who won first place in my Tumblr 500 + Follower Giveaway :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Your Man

*11 years old (2005)*

 

Stiles clung to Claudia’s hand as they made their way through the County Fair; one, he didn’t want to get separated from her and two, he wanted to make sure she was okay.  He smiled up at her, and the bright purple scarf peeking out from underneath her large straw hat, and she smiled back down at him.

 

“We have a little bit of time before your father comes to pick us up,” Claudia said.  “I thought we would go see some of the up and coming artists being featured today.”

 

“Music?” Stile said, galloping a bit.  “I like music!”

 

“I know you do,” Claudia said with a laugh.  “And it’s good to go out and experience new kinds of music.”

 

“Trying new things is good for the soul,” Stiles intoned with a nod, clearly having heard the phrase before.

 

“Right you are,” Claudia said, leading Stiles towards a stage where a small group of people stood.  Claudia pulled Stiles through the small crowd so they were standing right in front of the stage.

 

Stiles continued to cling to his mom’s hand as he blinked up at the stage and listened to the music.  The teenager on stage was … really good.  He looked to be about fifteen, maybe sixteen.  He wore a green flannel shirt, jeans, cowboy boots and even a cowboy hat!  Stiles stilled as he watched the teenager strum the guitar and sing a cover of “Your Man” by Josh Turner.

 

“He’s really good, Mom,” Stiles said quietly.

 

“He is,” Claudia agreed.  “The sign here says his name is Derek Hale.”

 

Stiles clapped enthusiastically as Derek finished his song, gave the small crowd a modest hat tip and then started to get offstage.  Stiles, still clinging to his mom’s hand, ran for the side of the stage to try to catch him.  “Mr. Hale!  Mr. Hale!” Stiles yelled.

 

Derek turned and gave Stiles and Claudia a smile.  “Hey there,” Derek said.

 

“Mr. Hale, my name is Stiles and I think you’re really good,” Stiles said.  “Like super good!”

 

“Thank you,” Derek said.  He turned and reached into his guitar case and pulled out a CD case, the cover of which was very clearly homemade.  He handed it to Stiles with a grin.  “Here you go, on the house, kid.”

 

Stiles beamed and clutched the CD to his chest.  “Thank you,” he said sincerely.

 

Claudia smiled and squeezed Stiles’ hand.  “Come on, sweetheart, we need to go,” she said, before turning to Derek.  “You’re an amazing talent, young man.”

 

“Thank you, ma’am,” Derek said, tugging his hat off and blushing a bit.

 

“You’re super good!” Stiles called over his shoulder, waving at Derek as he and Claudia headed towards the exit of the fair.

 

* * *

 

*14 years old (2008)*

 

“Come on, man, I wanna go on rides!”  Scott called over his shoulder as he and Stiles wandered through the County Fair.

 

Stiles tugged on his hoodie and ran a hand over his head as he followed his best friend at a much more sedate pace.  The last time he’d been to the County Fair had been with his mom, right before … He sighed and jogged to catch up with his friend.

 

“I want to see some of the bands first,” Stiles said, tugging his friend toward where the stages were set up.

 

“Aw man, come on,” Scott replied.

 

“Bands first, then rides and food,” Stiles said.  “In that order because I know that if we get food first and then go on rides, I will be wearing your food on my shoes.”  He nudged Scott’s shoulder with his own and gave his friend a grin.

 

“Fine, but only because you’re my best friend,” Scott said.

 

Stiles meandered through the crowds until he heard an acoustic guitar, and a voice he hadn’t heard in three years.  “We’re stopping here,” he said, tugging Scott towards the stage.  He got past everyone and stared up at Derek Hale.

 

“It’s country, man,” Scott whined.

 

“Shut up,” Stiles said.  “This guy was here the last time I was here.”

 

“The last time – Oh, okay.”  Scott nodded and shoved his hands in his jeans pockets.

 

Derek still wore a flannel, jeans, cowboy boots and a cowboy hat.  Still had the acoustic guitar.  But he’d changed, grown up a bit in the three years Stiles hadn’t seen him.  Stiles went still and watched Derek play, listened to him sing a cover of ‘All I Wanna Do’ by Sugarland.  “Wow,” Stiles whispered.

 

“He’s pretty good,” Scott said.  “For a country singer.”

 

“Whatever, man,” Stiles said.  Derek finished the cover and then began playing something different, something Stiles knew wasn’t a cover.  This new song was original.  He glanced around and noticed that some people were still paying attention, but some people had moved over to one of the other stages.  Stiles stayed right where he was, listening to the original song, and the two that followed it, clapping enthusiastically when Derek finished.

 

“Can we ride some rides now?” Scott asked.

 

“Hold on a sec,” Stiles said, heading over to the side of the stage where Derek was packing up.  “Mr. Hale.”

 

Derek glanced up and blinked a couple of times, recognition dawning on his face.  “Stiles, right?” he said.  “I remember you, from a few years ago.  You were here with –“

 

“My mom,” Stiles finished softly, toeing the dirt and hay with his sneaker.  “She, um, passed away shortly after that.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Derek said.  “I still remember what she told me, that day.”

 

“I still have your CD,” Stiles admitted.  “The one you gave me that night.”

 

“That’s cool, man, thanks,” Derek replied.  “I have to go, but –“

 

“No, it’s cool, my friend wants to ride some rides and eat some food,” Stiles said.

 

Derek tipped his hat, collected his guitar case and headed behind the stage.  Stiles stood there for a couple of minutes, his cheeks bright pink.

 

“Dude, my mom’s going to be here in an hour and a half,” Scott said, nudging Stiles’ shoulder.

 

“Okay, okay, let’s go,” Stiles said.  “Remember, rides first.”

 

* * *

 

*18 years old (2012)*

 

“Why are we here?” Stiles yelled over the obnoxious music blasting in the club he, Scott, and Allison were hanging out in.

 

“Allison got us tickets to some show,” Scott said.  “Something about the opener being super-hot.”

 

“So, we can hang out for an hour, hear this opener and then leave?” Stiles asked.  “Because I’m going deaf here, man.”

 

“I heard that,” Allison said as she handed Scott and Stiles each a drink.

 

“How?” Stiles asked.  “How can you hear?”

 

“Years of practice,” Allison replied with a grin.  “The opener’s going to be on soon.  I just want to hear him and then we can go – I don’t really like the main act.”

 

“Great,” Stiles replied.  “Perhaps I can salvage my hearing.”  The lights dimmed a bit and the crowd cheered as a group of people took the stage.  One of them headed for the mic and Stiles sighed as the girls started screaming.  He had to admit, the man looked good – long legs encased in black jeans, a black tank top and loads and loads of stubble.

 

“Everyone welcome Hale!” the announcer called and Stiles, not paying attention, just barely resisted the urge to cover his ears as the girls around him all shrieked louder as the lights came up and the music started.  The music itself was over processed and super poppy.  Stiles already wanted to leave.  Then the lead started to actually sing and Stiles slowly looked up at the stage. 

 

“What did they say the name of the group was?” Stiles asked Scott.

 

“Hale,” Scott said distractedly, paying more attention to Allison and his phone than the group on stage.

 

“Hale,” Stiles repeated, staring at the lead singer.  Hale.  Derek Hale.  Former country star up and comer had suddenly become a pop star?  Stiles tried to listen to Derek sing, and it just wasn’t the same.  The lyrics were superficial and they weren’t utilizing the talent Derek had – he sounded fake.  It made Stiles’ heart sink.

 

Stiles broke away from his friends and headed over to a table near the stage where there was a sign up for a mailing list.  Stiles jotted down his name and email and made a note of the address to send fan mail.  He had a letter to write.

 

* * *

 

*18 years old (early 2013)*

 

Stiles sat on the front porch of his house, curled up on a chair, wrapped in a blanket.  His dad had to work a double shift, which meant Stiles was left home alone.  Scott was with Allison at the McCall’s and Stiles wasn’t going to intrude on their time together.  Allison was only in town for a couple more weeks before going back to NYU and Stiles knew Scott and her would want as much time together as possible.

 

He held a mug of hot chocolate in his hands and sighed as the heat seeped through the palms of his hands and his fingers, not noticing the black Camaro pulling to a stop in front of his house.  The slam of the car door jerked him out of his thoughts and he nearly dropped his hot chocolate when he saw Derek Hale walking up his walkway.

 

“Mr. Hale,” Stile said, standing and tugging at the blanket.

 

“Stiles, right?” Derek said as he jogged up the steps to the front porch.

 

“Y-yeah,” Stiles said, swallowing at the sight of Derek up close.  He’d definitely grown up from the first time Stiles saw him, and Stiles had a hard time keeping the blood flow to his brain.  “You remember?”

 

Derek shoved his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and nodded.  “I remember,” he said.  “Also, I got your letter.”

 

“My –“  Stiles swallowed again.  “My letter.”  The one where he’d basically yelled at Derek for selling out and becoming some over-processed pop star with no substance.

 

“Your letter,” Derek said.  “I’m sure it wasn’t supposed to reach me, but someone in the mail room must have been a little lazy.  It was stuck between a couple of marriage proposals.  Anyway, I think I’ve read that letter a hundred times since I got it.”

 

“Seriously?” Stiles said.

 

Derek nodded.  “And you mentioned some things in your letter, and I remembered,” he said.  “That I’ve met you before.  A couple of times.  But I didn’t see you at the concert you talked about in your letter.”

 

“Honestly, I didn’t stay until the end,” Stiles admitted.  “I was hanging out with my best friend and his girlfriend.  They didn’t really miss me when I left.  I just … couldn’t stay.”  He tugged on his blanket and sighed softly.  “Look, did you want to come in or something?”

 

“Sure,” Derek said slowly.  “I mean, I’m not taking you away from anything, am I?”

 

“Nope, I am free and clear,” Stiles said, letting them into the house.  “My dad’s working a double.”

 

“No … girlfriend?” Derek asked.

 

Stiles stopped and turned to look at Derek.  “No,” he said slowly.  “No girlfriend, no boyfriend either.  Just me, myself and I.”  He dropped the blanket on the back of the couch and motioned for Derek to follow him to the kitchen.

 

“Good to know,” Derek murmured.

 

“So, I’m really curious about why you showed up here, and why the pop act,” Stiles said, setting out a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies and fixing two mugs of hot chocolate.

 

“I came because your letter,” Derek started.  “Your letter was … moving.  Reminded me of why I got into the business in the first place.”  He reached for a cookie and broke it apart, nibbling on it a bit.  “So I came here to tell you that.  As for the ‘selling out’ bit in your letter – After the last time I saw you at the County Fair, I got approached by an agent.  A real agent.  She promised she’d make me a big star, get my name out there.”  Derek chuckled darkly and dropped a bit of cookie into his hot chocolate.  “I trusted Jennifer Blake, signed on the dotted line and lost the chance to make any choice in the direction of my career.”

 

“Damn,” Stiles whispered, staring down into his hot chocolate instead of looking at Derek.  “How long’s the contract for?”

 

“Five years, and I’m three years in,” Derek admitted.  “Darach Records owns me for two more years.”  He ate a couple of bits of cookie and glanced over at Stiles.  “Thank you.”

 

“For what?” Stiles asked.

 

“For sending me that letter,” Derek said.  “I’d gotten so resigned to everything, I was about to give up.”

 

“Wow, man,” Stiles murmured.

 

“But, if I can just make it two more years,” Derek said.

 

“You can’t break the contract?” Stiles replied.  “Or find a lawyer to help you get out of it?”

 

“I recently re-read the contract,” Derek said.  “It’s ironclad.”

 

“Suck,” Stiles replied.  “I’m sorry, Mr. Hale.”

 

“Call me Derek.”

 

“Derek,” Stiles said softly.  “I’m really sorry.”  He reached over and squeezed Derek’s hand.

 

Derek gave Stiles a smile.  “Thanks,” he said.  “Really.  If I hadn’t received your letter … “

 

“Listen, can I be blunt here?” Stiles asked, and before Derek could even respond, he continued.  “You’re, like epically hot.  I mean, when I was eleven, I didn’t notice because, well, eleven.  When I was fourteen, I noticed, but I wasn’t really sure what I was feeling, you know?  I was too pissed off when I saw you at the club to really appreciate your sexy appeal, but now, with you here in front of me –“

 

“You have no filter, do you?” Derek interrupted with a smile. 

 

“No?” Stiles said, his cheeks pink.

 

“That’s okay, I like it,” Derek replied.

 

“You li – oh,” Stiles murmured.

 

“I’m only in town for a few more days,” Derek said.  “Managed to convince them to let me have a break before they send me back on the road.  I’d actually like to see you again.”

 

“Y-yeah?” Stiles said.  “I mean, yeah, sure, that would be cool.”  He fumbled for a pen and a scrap of paper off one of his notebooks laying on the kitchen counter.  “Here’s my cell, call or text anytime.  Like seriously, anytime.”

 

Derek smiled and nodded.  “I will,” he said.  “You can count on it.”

 

“I look forward to it,” Stiles said as he escorted Derek back to the front door, where he shook Derek’s hand goodnight. 

 

* * *

 

*19 years old (New Year’s Eve 2013)*

 

“I can’t believe you convinced them to fly me out here!” Stiles said excitedly as he stood backstage with Derek in Times Square.  He should’ve been cold, but there were so many people around that Stiles felt almost toasty.  He wrapped his arms around Derek in a hug, pleased when Derek returned the favor.

 

“I told them I wouldn’t perform if I couldn’t bring you here,” Derek admitted quietly.

 

Stiles blinked and looked at Derek.  “Serious?”  He and Derek had been texting, emailing and Skyping since Derek had shown up on his doorstep earlier in the year.  It had been amazing and Stiles loved every second of it, even sat through the ribbing from Scott and Allison when they found out.

 

“Serious,” Derek replied, leaning in and shyly kissing Stiles on the cheek.

 

“That is … way awesome,” Stiles replied.  “And putting me up at that swanky hotel, and for the tour and the awesome jacket and – “

 

“Perks I’m happy to provide,” Derek whispered.  “Did you watch me perform?”

 

Stiles frowned a bit and shook his head.  “Sorry, Der,” he said.  “I just … “

 

“It’s okay,” Derek murmured.  “Only a year left, and after that I’m a free agent.”  He ran a gloved finger across Stiles’ cheekbone.  “Free and clear of Darach Records so I can get back to what I really want to be doing.”

 

“Counting down the days,” Stiles admitted.

 

“Me, too,” Derek replied.  The crowd around them started getting louder and louder, and Derek could hear the countdown start.  “ … ten, nine, eight, seven … “  Derek began to lean in closer, bringing his lips closer and closer to Stiles’.  “ … four, three, two, one.  Happy New Year, Stiles.”  He closed the space between then and pressed his lips to Stiles’ in a deep kiss.

 

“New Happy Year,” Stiles said dazedly when Derek broke the kiss.  “I mean, yeah, that.”

 

Derek chuckled and gave Stiles a second, slightly more chaste, kiss.  “I have wanted to do that all day,” he said.

 

“Why’d you wait?” Stiles asked.  “Oh my god, you’re a closet romantic.”

 

“You figured me out,” Derek whispered.

 

“Your secret’s safe with me,” Stiles replied.

 

* * *

 

*20 years old (2014)*

 

“We are so doing that again,” Stiles panted, dropping a lazy kiss to Derek’s chest.

 

“Many, many more times, I promise,” Derek replied, running a hand down Stiles’ back, resting his palm on his boyfriend’s ass.  “But not tonight.”

 

“But, celebration sex is the best kind!” Stiles protested.

 

“We’ve done it twice already,” Derek said, chuckling as he swat Stiles’ ass playfully.

 

“But you are finally free of Jennifer Blake,” Stiles said, snuggling in close and resting his head on Derek’s chest.

 

“A free agent,” Derek replied.  “I’ll take some time to get back to writing, get back in the studio to do some demos.”

 

“Maybe do a County Fair or two?” Stiles teased.

 

“Maybe.”  Derek reached for the covers and tugged them up around the two of them, rubbing his cheek on Stiles’ hair.  “Have I told you I love you in the past couple of hours?”

 

Stiles chuckled and shook his head.  “No, but I’ll restart the counter, ‘kay?” he mumbled.

 

“Okay,” Derek replied, listening as Stiles drifted to sleep.  He stayed awake for a bit longer, the only sounds the tick of an old clock and Stiles’ snuffling snores.  Maybe his life didn’t take exact road he’d planned but somehow, he had a feeling he was right where he was supposed to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Music for reference:
> 
> "Your Man" by Josh Turner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nADTbWQof7Y
> 
> "All I Wanna Do" by Sugarland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npbiMJzNJII


End file.
